Skip to main content

Main menu

  • About Us
    • Leadership
    • Our Team
    • Vision, Mission and Values
    • Health and Economic Impact
  • Our Research
    • Research Focus
      • Brain Health
      • Cancer
      • Cardiovascular Conditions and Diseases
      • Digital Health
      • Health Policy
      • Immunity and Infectious Diseases
      • Joint Health and Mobility
      • Respiratory and Lung Health
      • Spinal Cord Injury and Rehabilitation
    • Research Centres and Programs
      • BC Centre on Substance Use
      • Centre for Cardiovascular Innovation
      • Centre for Clinical Epidemiology and Evaluation
      • Centre for Hip Health and Mobility
      • Centre for Lung Health
      • Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health
      • Immunity and Infection Research Centre
      • International Collaboration On Repair Discoveries
      • Ovarian Cancer Research Centre
      • Vancouver Prostate Centre
      • Community Research Program
      • Emergency Medicine Research Program
      • Hematology Research Program
      • Rehabilitation Research Program
      • Skin Research Program
      • Other Research Focus Areas
    • News and Stories
    • Researcher Directory
    • Events and Workshops
  • Research Services
    • New to VCHRI
      • Working at VCHRI
      • Regulations and Training
      • Membership with VCHRI
    • Starting Your Project
      • Research Facilitation
      • Awards and Funding
      • Grant Management
      • Operational Approval
    • Developing Your Project
      • Clinical Trials Administration
      • Clinical Research Unit
      • Research Privacy
      • Financial Policies and Procedures
    • Additional Support
      • Education and Training
      • Communications and Branding
      • Media Relations
      • Study Recruitment Support
      • Innovation and Industry Partnership
    • Internal Awards
    • Clinical Research
    • Innovation and Partnership
  • Participate in Research
    • Reasons to Participate
    • Participant Stories
    • Find a Study
    • Recruitment Support

User menu

  • Log in

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. Our Research
  3. News and Stories
  4. Ask an expert: Living on the rainy west coast, do I really need to wear sunscreen on cloudy days?

Ask an expert: Living on the rainy west coast, do I really need to wear sunscreen on cloudy days?

Stories Sep 4, 2020 3 minutes

Dr. Tim Lee explains why sunscreen is needed even on a grey, cloudy day and why it’s important to pay attention to any changes in your skin.

Q: Do I need to wear sunscreen even if it’s cloudy and overcast outside?
A:
Yes, you should wear sunscreen even if it’s cloudy and overcast outside because we do not know exactly which wavelength of UV light causes skin cancer and there are possibly still wavelengths making it past those grey clouds and being absorbed by your skin. Researchers suspect that it’s the ultraviolet light B (UVB) wavelength that causes skin cancer, but we can’t say for sure. And so, because of this uncertainty, most dermatologists and dermatology societies caution people to act on the safe side and wear sunscreen even on cloudy days. 

Q: What are sunspots? Should I be worried about the growing number of sunspots I’m getting as I age? 
A:
Sunspots are flat, brown spots that usually develop as we age and appear on parts of the skin that are exposed to sunlight, such as the face, arms, shoulders and hands. While they are very common and harmless, they are indicators of sun exposure and we should view them as a reminder to be more careful about being in the sun too much.

Q: Are freckles the same thing as sunspots?
A:
Freckles are an inherited skin feature most often found in people with fair skin tones. Like sunspots, freckles also appear as flat, brown spots. However, freckles typically become more prominent in the summer months when you are spending more time outside in the sun and they usually fade or disappear altogether in the winter. 

Q: How do I know whether a mole is just a mole or if it’s something that I should have looked at by a doctor?
A:
A mole is usually a small, round growth on the skin with a single colour. If you have a mole and you notice that it is changing in size, shape or colour, or it becomes irritated or itchy, that is a cause for concern and you should check in with your doctor immediately. 

Q: What is melanoma and what are its symptoms?
A:
Melanoma is the most dangerous form of skin cancer. Its symptoms are often described using the ABCDE rule when it comes to lesions, such as a mole, on the skin. A = Asymmetry (one side of a lesion looks different from another side), B = Border (a lesion has irregular or scalloped edges), C = Colour (a lesion is marked with multiple colours), D = Diameter (the size of a lesion is greater than 6 mm), E = Evolving (a lesion changes in appearance or becomes irritated or itchy).

Q: Why is it important to discover melanoma early? What are some helpful resources to learn more about melanoma?
A:
Melanoma is a deadly disease, but it is curable if diagnosed and treated early so it’s vital to visit your doctor if you think you have symptoms. To learn more about melanoma, including information on diagnosis and treatment, visit BC Cancer and the Canadian Cancer Society websites.
 

Dr. Tim Lee is an associate professor in the Department of Dermatology and Skin Science within the Faculty of Medicine at the University of British Columbia. His research interests focus on developing early detection tools for melanoma and understanding risk factors of the disease. 


 

Researchers

Tim Lee

Related Articles

Ask an expert: Can I become allergic to the sun?

Ask an expert: I forgot my sunglasses again... can my eyes get sunburned?

Bringing multiple sclerosis out of the dark

Share:

  • Facebook
  • Linkedin
  • Twitter
  • Email

Related Research Centres/Programs

Skin Research Program

Get the latest research headlines in your inbox

Subscribe

Recent News and Stories

Type
Announcement

Top Graduating Doctoral Student Award and Rising Star Award 2022 Recipients

Jun 28, 2022 award, trainee
Type
Stories

Cannabis legalization may have upped the number of older adults driving high

Jun 23, 2022 marijuana, senior, driving, men
Type
Stories

Heath care priority management post-COVID-19

Jun 17, 2022 COVID, patient engagement, health burden
See more news

Get updates!

Join our newsletter mailing list to stay up to date on features and releases.

Subscribe

Quick Links

  • News and Stories
  • Careers
  • Events
  • Media Enquiries

Follow Us

  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn

© 2022 VCHRI. All rights reserved.

  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy